ORIGINAL: paf
ORIGINAL: Gordon Mc
ORIGINAL: paf
A PCM failsafe to kill/idle an engine is a desirable feature and should be demonstrated at every event involving large number of people. However, that in its own will not prevent accidents - looking at the hungarian video,
it would have made no difference there 
On what basis do you make such a claim ?
To me, the model seems to have went out of control approximately 5 seconds before impact. That's not enough time to bleed off enough kinetic energy to make it non-lethal, even with the engine at idle. However that's no excuse for anyone to not have a PCM failsafe go to idle.
To me, the main reason for PCM failsafe is to prevent energy buildup when uncontrolable model flying at high altitude gets into a nose down attitude with WOT. It's not a cure-all.
P.
P.S.
Did anybody notice the ING commercial shown just prior to the accident report with kids peacufully flying model gliders ???
A normal parachute will open in 3 seconds. A ballistic deployed chute will open in one second. More then enough time to have prevented this tragedy. This kind of chute is used on ultralite planes they should be mandatory on large RC planes.